Double issue of Interact (http://interact.com.pt), a journal of thinking, processes and performance practice
Editors: Sílvia Pinto Coelho and Cláudia Madeira
The Mind is a Muscle is the title of a piece (1966) and an evening-length work (1968) choreographed by Yvonne Rainer in New York. In the statement accompanying the work, Rainer wrote a declaration of principles that revealed her unease with a society that was becoming more and more dependent on “spectacle” and on the media. With the realization that she could simply turn off the television after witnessing the murder of a Vietnamese woman in much the same was as she could change the channel so as to avoid watching a bad western, the choreographer reacts with horror and incredulity, thinking of the “mind”, or the spirit, as an “atrophied muscle” that could be stimulated.
Starting with the pretext of the expression “The Mind is a Muscle”, we question ourselves about the ways in which the practice of performance produces thought. How is this concrete thought inscribed in our work, our bodies, our routines, our research, in our history, and in our archives? Are the mechanisms of artistic, choreographic, musical, and performance thought politically relevant? How so?
This double issue of Interact (#28-29) takes up a series of issues and transformations regarding performance practice that have taken place since the end of the 20th century, and which are described as post-modern or post-dramatic. It gives an account of the potential and current state of the art in this field. In this issue, we intend to analyze processes and production methods that have arisen from the practice of performance.
We invite submissions from researchers, artists and essayists writing about the procedural and critical side of performance, whether academic articles, field notes, or experimental videos. Submissions can take the form of text, photographs, or videos (up to 15 minutes), about the topics described below. It must be kept in mind that, due to the online nature of the journal, the pieces must be brief, in an essay style or even experimental. Authors are encouraged to make use of the power of the World Wide Web and to include links, images, sound, and interactivity. Authors may contact the editors to ensure that submissions are adapted to the current publishing platform.
Submissions should be sent to the email of the editors and must include: title, abstract between 200 to 500 words, and indication of the section applied for. The deadline for submission is February 28, 2018 and, if accepted for publication, the piece must be delivered in an editable format by the end of March. The final word on acceptance of submissions falls to the editorial staff, who take into account the quality of the work as well as its pertinence to the themes.
Warm regards,
Sílvia Pinto Coelho, Cláudia Madeira and Jorge Martins Rosa
silvia.tengner@gmail.com and madeira.claudia@gmail.com
SECTIONS ESSAYS: Essays are central to the Interact project that aims to bolster the presence of thinking (especially Portuguese thinking) on information networks. Texts for this section should be between eight to twelve pages and make limited use of footnotes.
INTERFACES: This section aims to address two important gaps in the criticism of contemporary Portuguese culture: a shortage of specialized cultural criticism on the Internet, including commentary and review; and the lack of critical attention to cyberculture objects and topics. Shorter and more experimental articles are also welcome. Texts should range from four to eight (7500 to 15000 characters) and make use of links and multimedia. Footnotes are discouraged.
LABORATORY: This section is intended to showcase artwork. All means of expression are encouraged (writing, graphics, video, digital images, sound, etc.), as are all themes and genres. Digital experimentation is especially welcome. Submissions are the entire responsibility of the authors, although the Interact team is available to provide necessary support for production and posting online.